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CGI NY to host webinar on future of India-U.S. travel
The Aug. 25 session will examine tourism opportunities and introduce a new platform connecting travel businesses in both countries.
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Malvika Choudhary - Thu, 20, Aug 2026
- 18:45 EDT
- 40
India-US travel corridor / X/ @IndiainNewYork
The Consulate General of India in New York on Aug. 25 will host a webinar on the future of the India-US travel corridor, bringing together tour operators from the United States and India.
Luis Maravi, director of membership and programming at the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA), will be the keynote speaker. Ambassador Binaya S. Pradhan, Consul General of India in New York, is also listed among the speakers.
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The webinar will feature a first look at the consulate's new India-USA Trade Facilitation Portal, a single-window platform designed to connect U.S. tour operators with verified Indian tour operators, destination management companies and hotel partners.
The portal is operated by the Consulate General of India in New York in collaboration with the Embassy of India in Washington, D.C., and India's other U.S. consulates.
The initiative comes as India remains one of the largest overseas markets for U.S. tourism. The U.S. Department of Commerce's National Travel and Tourism Office recorded 2.06 million Indian visitors to the United States in 2025, making India the fourth-largest international source market overall after Mexico, Canada and the United Kingdom.
India was also the second-largest overseas source market for the United States in 2024, with about 2.19 million visitor arrivals, according to the NTTO's annual survey.
The U.S. Commerce Department has highlighted India's importance to the American travel industry, citing the country's large Indian American diaspora and strong demand for visits to family and friends, as well as leisure and experiential travel.
The travel relationship also faces practical challenges, particularly around visa access. As of July 21, U.S. State Department data showed estimated B1/B2 visitor-visa interview waits of 8.5 months in New Delhi and 8.5 months in Mumbai for the next available appointments, although the department says new slots are regularly added and applicants can move to earlier appointments when available.
The State Department also introduced a pilot program in July allowing eligible B-visa applicants at participating posts to pay an additional $750 for an expedited interview appointment within 10 business days, subject to availability.
Discover more at New India Abroad.
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